Origami Capital Partners and SBJ Capital announce an investment in DENNIS Uniform, the market leading provider of school uniforms across North America

Chicago, IL and Walnut Creek, CA – January 25, 2024 – Origami Capital Partners and SBJ Capital announce successfully providing new capital to DENNIS Uniform, the oldest and largest provider of school uniforms in North America. Origami and SBJ’s strategic investment positions DENNIS for accelerated growth following the opening and expansion of its central distribution center in Fort Worth, TX.

“The school uniform industry is rapidly changing, as parents require a high-quality e-commerce experience and schools need a top-notch, reliable partner,” said CEO Jeff Blade. “Origami and SBJ’s investment positions us well to bolster and expand our capabilities well into the future.”

DENNIS Uniform, a market leader with a 100+ year operating history, supports a couple thousand private and charter schools across North America as an exclusive school uniform provider. As one of the market leaders within the multi-billion-dollar North American school uniform market, DENNIS is well-positioned to capitalize on strong anticipated secular trends.

“We are excited to support DENNIS Uniform’s expansion as they continue to lead the industry,” stated Julie Klaff, Partner at Origami. “This investment aligns with Origami’s commitment to providing creative and patient capital solutions while partnering with best-in-class operators.”

“We look forward to partnering with Origami and are excited for how our recent investment positions DENNIS Uniform to better serve its customers, including enhanced customer experiences and expanded product offerings,” said Tom Barber, Managing Director at SBJ, who also invested alongside Origami.

DENNIS represents Origami’s third investment from its Fund V.

About DENNIS Uniform

DENNIS Uniform, founded in 1920, is the oldest and largest provider of exclusive school uniform programs in North America. Founded by the Shipley family over 100 years ago, DENNIS supports some of the nation’s largest private schools and charter school networks through its new, state-of-the-art distribution facility in Fort Worth, Texas. DENNIS supports its customers with unparalleled e-commerce capabilities and robust in-person offerings through its expansive footprint of retail locations.

About Origami Capital Partners

Founded in 2008, Origami Capital Partners manages private capital that offers structured, creative approaches to complex challenges. Origami’s extensive experience navigating complicated situations helps to solve capital structure, liquidity, and follow-on capital issues for its deal partners. Origami evaluates and invests across asset classes and sectors, including real estate, credit, technology, and financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, the firm manages committed institutional capital and is a registered SEC investment adviser.*

About SBJ Capital

SBJ Capital is a private investment firm focused on investing in founder and family-owned consumer and services companies. SBJ provides operational resources, strategic advice, domain expertise, and a partnership approach to realize the shared goals of entrepreneurs, owners, and management teams. SBJ was founded by an experienced team of professionals with a track record of growing companies both as principal investors and as operating executives. Please visit www.sbjcap.com for more information.

Media Contact
Amanda Pendleton
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*SEC registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.